Everything or nothing?
by Vlcrst
Summary: Ome-Shot: Zelos thoughts as he made his choice about wich side support. Set right before Zelos betrays the group. Slight spoilers and implied character dead. All kinds of criticism are welcome. I ll add the other side of the story later.


Thanks for taking some of your time to read this. It´s a little short story I wanted to try out. Its a first so dont expect anything too fancy: its more like a test to see how well I can write, there are spoilers though so unless you´ve finished the game I advise against you reading it. PLease review and be as harsh as possible: I´m really looking foward it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia, its characters or any other of the "Tales of" series. They belong to Namco and their respective owners. All they need to do is ask and I´ll delete this story. That being said, please enjoy

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Zelos

You could say he had everything

He had the status, and with it, a position envied by so many,,,, second to none, admired by all, being granted with all kinds of attentions and favors, expected to do nothing but to fake a smile and enjoy himself, for his sole presence was enough to brighten up any place at any time

...And he wasn't happy

He had the looks, and with them, as many women as he wanted.... it wasn't unusual for him to be surrounded by many as he walked, fighting just to get a strain from his hair, a simple touch of his hand, or a single look at his face.

...And he wasn't happy

He had the money, and with it, all kinds of things and trinkets, all the clothes and accessories, all the pleasures, all the luxuries, for even when he was the most spoiled kid he had the time of a lifetime satisfying his every whim. He never knew of hunger or cold, didn't knew of getting sick, didn't knew of getting old.

…And he wasn't happy

He had the skills, and with them, mastery in every sport and discipline. Only the best of the best could attempt to fend off his precise skills of the sword, and being well versed with a variety of spells not even the king's wizards would be a match for him:

…And he wasn't happy

Then… he lost all of that in exchange for the one thing he didn't have….

Friends

They were dumb yes… sometimes they would say the wrong words or dive head first into a trap…. They would have little arguments over silly stuff… and certainly they would criticize his flirtatious nature or call him names (specially a certain purple-robed shinobi) More than once he wondered how did lloyd managed to get through everything just following his ideal and going against the odds, how Collete could ttrip so many times over her own shadow and just make an innocent smile as if nothing had happened, why genis always liked to snap at his remarks, even tough he enjoyed them, how Raine was so obsessed with knowledge and how that fascination could conceal so much wisdom, how presea showd a maturity far beyond the age her body showed and how it was a challenge to see her smile, how Regal wore an air of dignity and pride, even after what he had gone trough and how he was honor bound to a promise to the one he loved. How Sheena always seemed to act like a tomboy and even tough they had a history of misunderstandings and her calling him names wich he wouldn´t dare to ask what they meant, he knew they shared very special moments and he knew he was the closest one to her out of everyone..

They all had so many traits and qualities. and he was amazed at how kind and compassionate they were… supporting each other like a family…. or even more than that since family is not something you choose unlike who you want to be friends with. He remembered the times when his cooking was praised, when he showed his knowledge in some of the assignatures imparted in Iselia, he could laugh with the memory of how his little plan with Collete and the legend of Spiritua worked so well, he remembered fondly the time when sheena was feeling so down and he tried to cheer her up unlike the rest of the group.

He remembered all those good tmes he had with them and he realized tthat whatever they told him, however they acted towards him, whenever they either smiled or snapped at him, he knew it wast because of what he was, but because of who he was. He knew they were sincere and honest and he appreciated that immensely. He felt he finally found that thing he needed, that place he missed, a mirror to look in without any mask and just be his true self

Or so he thought...

None of that mattered anymore.... for when the moment came and he had to make a choice, he heard that horrible question:

"Can I trust you Zelos? "

In a moment all he believed in was crashed, like the sand under a tidal wave, and so his resolve was broken and he made the choice that took him to this time and place

"You said I could trust you!!"

Those hollow words did nothing to him, sure , under other circumstances he would have stopped, he would have thought about what he was doing, maybe even change his choice and help them.... but now it was too late for he had lost the only thing he needed and only then he lost everything

Perhaps.... perhaps he never had anything to begin with

Perhaps it was fated to end this way regardless of what he could do

Perhaps if he had stayed as a porcelain doll never taking of his mask, hiding behind the chosen´s persona he would never had to feel liked, to feel cared about...

For he knew he was about to die and nothing could change that

And so he raised his blade and ran towards his enemies

Unknown to them all.... tears were still flowing from his eyes when he fell lifeless to the ground.....


End file.
